Compare the2026 Volvo EX90VS 2026 BMW iX

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Volvo EX90 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW iX doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Volvo EX90 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW iX doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Volvo EX90 (except 6-Passenger) offers an optional built in child booster seat. It’s more crash worthy than an added child seat because of its direct attachment to the seat. BMW doesn’t offer the convenience and security of a built-in child booster seat in the iX. Their owners must carry a heavy booster seat in and out of the vehicle; EX90 owners can just fold their built-in child seat up or down.

The EX90 has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The iX doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Volvo EX90 achieved a “Good” rating - the highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The BMW iX has not been tested.

Both the EX90 and the iX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The Volvo EX90 has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2026 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test, and a “Good” score in the revised vehicle-to-vehicle crash prevention test. The iX has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2026.

The EX90 Twin Motor Performance’s electric motors produces 20 more horsepower (670 vs. 650) than the iX M70’s optional electric motors.

On the EPA test cycle the EX90 gets better mileage than the iX:

For better stopping power the EX90’s brake rotors are larger than those on the iX:

The EX90 stops much shorter than the iX:

For better traction, the EX90 has larger standard tires than the iX (F:255/50R20 & R:285/45R20 vs. 235/60R20).

The EX90’s standard 255/50R20 front and 285/45R20 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series front and 45 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the iX xDrive45/60’s standard 60 series tires.

The EX90 Ultra Twin Motor Performance handles at .86 G’s, while the iX xDrive60 pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the EX90’s turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the iX’s (38.7 feet vs. 42 feet).

The EX90 has standard seating for 7 passengers; the iX can only carry 5.

The EX90 has 2.7 inches more front headroom, .7 inches more front legroom and 2 inches more rear headroom than the iX.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the EX90’s middle row seats recline. The iX’s rear seats don’t recline.

The EX90’s cargo area is larger than the iX’s in almost every dimension:

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the EX90 has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the iX only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The EX90 has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The iX doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The EX90 is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The iX doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The Volvo EX90/XC90 outsold the BMW iX by over three to one during 2025.